A spirit tablet, memorial tablet, or ancestral tablet,[1] is a placard used to designate the seat of a deity or past ancestor as well as to enclose it. The name of the deity or past ancestor is usually inscribed onto the tablet. With origins in traditional Chinese culture, the spirit tablet is a common sight in many East Asian countries where any form of ancestor veneration is practiced. Spirit tablets are traditional ritual objects commonly seen in temples, shrines, and household altars throughout China and Taiwan.[2]

Contents

A spirit tablet is often used for deities or ancestors (either generally or specifically: i.e. you might have one for your grandmother or one for your entire family tree). Shrines are generally found in and around households (for household gods and ancestors), in temples for specific deities, or in Ancestral halls or for the clan's founders and specific ancestors. In each place, there are specific locations for individual spirit tablets for ancestors or one or another particular deity. A spirit tablet acts as an effigy of a specific deity or ancestor. When used, incense sticks or joss sticks are usually burned before the tablet in some kind of brazier or incense holder. Sometimes fruit, tea, pastries, or other offertory items are placed near the tablet to offer food to that particular spirit or divinity.

One outside the house at the front door on the ground, dedicated to Tudigong, an earth deity. This tablet usually reads: 门口土地财神 (门口土地福神 less commonly) (Traditional: 門口土地財神,門口土地福神).

Some houses will have a tablet at or near the gate which reads 门官福神 (Traditional: 門官福神）possibly dedicated to the door gods.

One near the front door, and at or around eye level dedicated to the Jade Emperor. Generally, but not always, this tablet will be above the tablet dedicated to Tudigong. This tablet reads: 天官赐福 (Traditional: 天官賜福).

One in the kitchen, dedicated to Zao Jun, the kitchen god which reads: 定福灶君 in both traditional and simplified characters.

One which is dedicated to the Landlord god, Dizhu Shen (similar to Tudigong but not the same). This tablet comes in several forms. The simple form which reads 地主神位（in both traditional and simplified script) or a longer, more complex form which comprises two couplets commonly reading: 前后地主财神，五方五土龙神 (Traditional: 前後地主財神，五方五土龍神).

Two in the house, usually at least one in the living room. These tablets will usually be put in a cabinet, similar to a Japanese butsudan household shrine and they will be usually for a family's ancestors and some other deity which may or may not be represented by a spirit tablet.

In their most simple form the spirit tablets can simply be a piece of red paper with the words written vertically (in mainland China and in Hong Kong). More complex forms exist, these could be: full, small shrines made of tile, wood, metal or other material; statues and attendants with text; small posters with incense places and so on. A common form of the tablet for Tudigong (as seen in Guangdong, China), for example, consists of a baked tile which has the core text of the tablet (門口土地財神), flanked by two additional couplets reading: "户纳千祥， 门迎百福" (Traditional: "戶納千祥， 門迎百福") meaning something close to "May my household welcome a great deal of auspiciousness, may my doors welcome hundreds of blessings".

In Taoism, spirit tablets are often used for ancestors. Sometimes spirit tablets are found before or below statues of deities, which represent the enclosed spirit of the deity.